Miss Gastonia and Miss Gaston County crowned

Monday

Aug 7, 2017 at 8:27 AMAug 7, 2017 at 9:28 AM

By Todd Hagans

A singer and a dancer are the new Miss Gastonia and Miss Gaston County.

Sophia Kellstrom was named Miss Gastonia and Kayla Clark won the Gaston County crown Saturday night at the conclusion of the annual Miss Gastonia Scholarship Pageant. The competition at Stuart W. Cramer High School featured 14 contestants participating in interview, talent, swimsuit/fitness, and evening gown categories.

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Moments after being crowned, Kellstrom posed for pictures and got a few words of advice from the reigning Miss North Carolina Victoria Huggins, who was a special guest at the show.

“She (Huggins) welcomed me to the Miss North Carolina family and told me that I would have a great year as Miss Gastonia,” said Kellstrom. “I know I will. There is a lot of time between now and when I go to Miss North Carolina next summer so I am going to concentrate on getting out in the community, making appearances, getting to know people, and promoting this pageant.”

Kellstrom is the 17-year-old daughter of Garry and Molora Kellstrom of Kings Mountain. A graduate of Kings Mountain High School, she is attending High Point University this fall to study broadcast communications and theater. For the talent competition, she sang “Don’t Rain on My Parade” and won the most talented award. She also won the swimsuit award.

Clark said winning Miss Gaston County “is a dream come true.”

“My goal has been to win a pageant so I can go to Miss North Carolina,” said Clark, who competed in Miss Mount Holly last year. “I have been working on each phase of the competition and am so thankful that my hard work paid off. I am looking forward to my year and seeing what is in store for me.”

Originally from Ellenboro, Clark is a sophomore at UNC Charlotte where she is pursuing a degree in dance. For the talent competition, she performed a lyrical dance to “Coming Back to Me.”

Young women ages 13-24 who live, work, or attend school in Gaston and surrounding counties are eligible to enter the pageant.

Chloe Lockyer was the first runner-up, Sarah Bowman was the second runner-up, and Kaitlyn Sparks won the Etha Hawkins Bumgardner congeniality award. Other contestants were Summer Lingle, Kassie Styles, Gabrielle Wylie, and Jaliah Pettis.

Kellstrom and Clark weren’t the only winners Saturday night. Emily Miller, a 14-year-old student at Highland School of Technology, was crowned Miss Gastonia’s Outstanding Teen. She is the daughter of Brad and Roxie Miller of Stanley and will go on to the Miss North Carolina’s Outstanding Teen Pageant in June 2018.

“I was very surprised,” said Miller, who performed a jazz dance for talent. “I felt good about everything I did and I wanted to win, but you never know until you hear your name called.”

Jaylen Holt was the runner-up in the Outstanding Teen division, and Kendall Moore won the talent award. Other teen contestants were Makayla Parton and Madison Kinmon.

A highlight of the pageant was a presentation by Gastonia Mayor John Bridgeman, who presented a key to the city to the retiring queens Miss Gastonia Macy Stutts, Miss Gaston County Autumn Hubbard, Miss Gastonia’s Outstanding Teen Savanna Mayes, and Miss Gaston County’s Outstanding Teen Madeline Alexanian.